Geranium plant named ‘Rosetta’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Geranium  plant named ‘Rosetta’, characterized by its upright and broadly outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; pink-colored flowers with light pink-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Geranium wallichianum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Rosetta’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofGeranium, botanically known as Geranium wallichianum, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Rosetta’.

The new Geranium originated from a cross-pollination of the Geraniumwallichianum cultivar Syabru, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with an unnamed selection of Geranium wallichianum, not patented,as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Geranium was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlledenvironment in Ede, The Netherlands in July, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Geranium by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Zandvoort, The Netherlands since January,2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Geranium are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Rosetta has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature,daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Rosetta’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Rosetta’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofGeranium:

-   -   1. Upright and broadly outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Pink-colored flowers with light pink-colored centers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Geranium differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Syabru in flower color as plants of the cultivarSyabru have dull pink-colored flowers with smaller light pink-coloredeyes and more distinct venation.

Plants of the new Geranium differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selectionhave bluish pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Geranium can be compared to plants of the Geraniumcultivar Buxton Blue, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in The Netherlands, plants of the new Geranium differedprimarily from plants of the cultivar Buxton Blue in flower color asplants of the cultivar Buxton Blue had blue and white-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Geranium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Geranium.

The photograph at the top sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘Rosetta’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flower of ‘Rosetta’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Ede, The Netherlands in an outdoornursery during the summer and early autumn. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 32° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 4° C. to 15° C. Plants were about one year oldwhen the photographs and the description were taken. In the detaileddescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Geranium wallichianum cultivar Rosetta.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Geranium wallichianum cultivar            Syabru, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Geranium            wallichianum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at temperatures of            20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six weeks at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright and broadly outwardly spreading            plant habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth            habit. Freely basal branching habit with about ten lateral            branches per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 43.5 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18.8 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Internode length: About 5.8 cm. Texture: Pubescent.            Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 144A; upper surface and            older stems overlain with 183A to 183B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 6 cm.        -   Shape.—Orbicular to roughly reniform; palmately lobed.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Hastate.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed; lobes bi-serrate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 143A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully developed, upper            surface: Between 137A and 143A; venation, between 137A and            143A. Fully developed, lower surface: 146A to 146B;            venation, 146A to 146B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 144A to 144B; upper surface and older            leaves, overlain with 178A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in pairs            arising from apical leaf axils. Flowers face upright or            outward. Flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about twelve            flower buds and open flowers per lateral branch.        -   Flowering season.—In The Netherlands, flowering is            continuous from early May to late September.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.1 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Color: Between 143A and 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five in a single whorl. Length:            About 1.7 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex:            Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Mostly smooth; towards the base, densely            pubescent. Color: When opening, upper surface: Between N74A            and N78B; venation, N79B. When opening, lower surface: N78B;            venation, N79C. Fully opened, upper surface: N78B; towards            the base, close to N78D; venation, N79B. Color becoming            closer to N81C with development. Fully opened, lower            surface: N78C; venation, N79C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Ovate.            Apex: Aristate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper surface: Mostly smooth; towards the margins,            pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Between 143A and 144A. When opening,            lower surface: 144A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:            143B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: About 10° from vertical. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: 152A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: About 340° from            vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About ten. Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color:            N79C. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther color: Between N186A and 202A. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: 196D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Five-parted;            reflexed. Stigma color: N79B to N79C. Style length: About            3 mm. Style color: 144A. Ovary color: Close to 143A to 143B.        -   Fruits/seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Geranium have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Geranium have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate    temperatures ranging from about −15° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Geranium plant named ‘Rosetta’ as illustrated anddescribed.